UP 'OLD BALD HILL': a poem

TOOK THE ROAD UP OLD BALD HILL

QUITE A VIEW THERE WHEN I STOOD STILL

TALKED TO SOME ELK, ABOUT FIFTY STRONG,

TELLING THEM TO FLEE TO AVOID 'SWANSONG'


OVER JOHNSON BRIDGE TO 'OLD KLAMATH ROAD',

ON TO HOOPA TO REST A SPELL

THEN MEANDERED THE KLAMATH TO HAPPY CAMP

AND OVER PAGE MOUNTAIN WHERE THE SNOW WAS DAMP


AND AS I MEANDERED THE WHOLE DAY THROUGH

I HUMMED A TUNE OF DAYS GONE BY

THAT CONJURES UP 'ZEST' OF DAYS OF YORE

AND SOME 'PITH', TOO, OF WHAT PASSED BEFORE...



THE TUNE- A SQUARE DANCE 'DITTY'- GOES:

"HE MET HER IN THE LANE

AND HE LAY HER ON A BOARD

AND HE PLAYED HER UP A TUNE

CALLED 'SUGAR IN THE GOURD'...

'SUGAR IN THE GOURD'

'HONEY IN THE HORN'

BALANCE TO YOUR PARTNER:

'HONEY IN THE HORN'"